AVmail: June 3, 2013

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The views expressed in this section are strictly those of the contributors, and are not necessarily shared by AVweb, its staff or management.

NOTE: If we select your email for publication, we reserve the right to edit it for length and to excise language we deem offensive. We do not publish unsigned emails, but we will withhold your name if you specifically ask us to.

Each week, we run a sampling of the letters received to our editorial inbox here in AVmail. One letter that's particularly relevant, informative, or otherwise compelling will headline this section as our "Letter of the Week," and we'll send the author an official AVweb baseball cap as a "thank you" for interacting with us (and the rest of our readership). Send us your comments and questions using this form. Please include your mailing address in your e-mail (just in case your letter is our "Letter of the Week"); by the same token, please let us know if your message is not intended for publication.

Letter of the Week: Regulators Gone Wild

Well done with your report on what is a frightening exposé of Australian aviation regulators. We in the industry have been raising these concerns for over 15 years. Despite these efforts, the politicians have not listened, and we now have a runaway regulator that attempts to dominate rather than work with the industry.

There are a number of people who have attempted to correct these and the large number of submissions to this inquiry and the final result which calls for the regulator to be removed and appropriate regulations be put in place is a major step forward.

There are a number of people who have attempted to correct these, and the large number of submissions to this inquiry and the final result, which calls for the regulator to be removed and appropriate regulations be put in place, is a major step forward.

There are a couple of web sites here and here which are working to collect information and writing about individual issues to bring to the community's attention — issues facing pilots that are of serious concern to individuals and the aviation community. Maybe it's time for another ICAO/ FAA investigation into CASA and ATSB.

Name Withheld

AVweb Replies:

We have contacted the letter writer and accepted his rationale for withholding his name.

Russ NilesEditor-in-Chief

Paying for OSH Controllers

Regarding the FAA's request that EAA help pay for controllers: Although I am certainly not in favor of paying more fees and taxes like most people, I think as pilots we have to think long and hard about which fight to pick with the FAA.

AirVenture does represent a substantial cost increase in the operations of the FAA (overtime, travel, etc.), and making a contribution may be the kind of good will gesture that would be sensible and hopefully appreciated.

That said, an open checkbook is not the right way to proceed, and a cap should be agreed to before the event.

There is no doubt that the U.S. economy (and various government levels) benefit greatly from this world-class event that draws visitors from all over the world and is a net gain for the U.S. economy, but to expect parochial government organizations to look at the big picture is probably asking too much.

The U.S. has the most vibrant general aviation sector of the entire world. The economic impact is worth billions to the U.S. economy, and many of these billions come from foreigners like myself who spent serious money buying products and services from the U.S. aviation sector.

Please do not allow the government and bureaucrats to kill this important sector like they did in Europe and never understood in Asia.

Michel Lahaie

Everyone flying into OSH that week is already funding the FAA by way of federal excise taxes paid on the fuel purchased to get there and home again. Making EAA pay again sure seems like double taxation to me.

Dan Barber

Ask for controllers interested in volunteering to work the air show and let EAA provide perks for the week like free admission to the show, VIP seating for air shows, free food, etc.

Russ Mazda

If the EAA is going to pay for ATC services, they should put out bids to the contract ATC companies. They would probably get a better deal. After all, contract towers cost less to operate than FAA towers.

Chris Shehi

In response to the FAA request that the EAA cover the controllers costs for the fly-in: It's the EAA's party, and they make money from it, so let the EAA pay for the controllers. On the other hand, since the FAA wants to abrogate their responsibility to do the job, the EAA should get all the federal share of fuel taxes for fuel sales at OSH.

Richard Montague

AVweb Replies:

Thanks to the dozens of readers who offered their thoughts on the issue. We just don't have the room to run all the responses.

Russ NilesEditor-in-Chief

Letters About Letters

When someone finds an engine that was overhauled in an incorrect manner that infringes on the performance of the engine, it should be reported to the FAA. Not only could you protect someone else's life, but I suspect that reporting this type of incident is mandatory under the FARs.

Mike Schumann

When the President or Vice President are aboard a civil aircraft, the call sign is Executive One or Executive Two.

When the President or Vice President are aboard a military aircraft, the call sign is (Military Branch) One or (Military Branch) Two.

Reference is Order JO 7110.65 (air traffic).

Dan Burdette

Read AVmail from other weeks here, and submit your own Letter to the Editor with this form.

Question of the Week

Picture of the Week

As aviation photos go, this was the best this week but there are some great beauty shots when you click through. In the meantime, congratulations to Daniel Gillette for this very nice photo he calls Sunset Pitch-Out. The photo is copyrighted by Gillette.